FACTORS INFLUENCING AMPHIBIAN AND SMALL MAMMAL ASSEMBLAGES IN CENTRALAPPALACHIAN FORESTS

We studied terrestrial amphibian and small mammal assemblages with dri ft fences and pitfall traps in five forested stands during 1987-1988 o n Shenandoah Mountain in the George Washington National Forest, Virgin ia, USA. Eleven species of salamanders, five frogs, five shrews, and s even rodents were monitored. Amphibians were significantly more abunda nt in forest stands consisting of mature hardwoods than in a recent cl earcut and a white pine plantation, Although there was considerable va riation in abundance among species in the five stands, small mammal ab undance was high in all five habitats studied. Amphibian species diver sity (Shannon Index) was less than half that for small mammals because red-backed salamanders (Plethodon cinereus) were dominant in most ass emblages. Amphibian and small mammal diversity and total species richn ess were not related to estimated stand age, total number of canopy tr ees, tree diversity, or frequency of underground rocks, Maintenance of amphibian biodiversity requires the combination of mature hardwoods a nd wetland habitats (e.g. wildlife ponds and seepages). Most of the sm all mammals encountered were habitat generalists. Management focus on mature hardwood forests would maintain populations of small mammals re quiring cool, moist situations in upper-elevation habitats in the cent ral Appalachian Mountains. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.